A Movie A Day: Quint on HARPER (1966)The bottom is loaded with nice people, Albert. Only cream and bastards rise.

Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with the kick off look at my new column. Every day from now until I either run out of DVDs or am forced to call uncle I’ll discuss a film I have not watched, continuing the conversation into the talkbacks below. There will be all genres, all eras, all types represented in this column, each film connected via a common factor to the one before it, be it actor, actress, director, writer, composer, cinematographer, etc.
I decided to start off with Paul Newman’s HARPER. I bought the Paul Newman box set a few months ago… it was a crazy cheap deal… something like $18.99 at Costco (it’s much pricier online now, so it looks like I got a bargain) for 7 or 8 movies, all of which I hadn’t seen, so it was a no brainer buy.
It went on the shelf to be watched at a later time. A few months later I was reading William Goldman’s Adventures In The Screen Trade where he discussed this film, his first real screenplay adapted to the big screen. I was intrigued when I read about how he had originally opened the movie with our private dick lead character standing next to a beat up car, in front of a locked gate: the entrance to the crazy adventure he was to go on.
The director or studio, I don’t remember which, wanted something to put credits over and asked Goldman to write a credits sequence… of course he was asked days before they were to start shooting, so he just scribbled down a few beats… Harper laying awake in bed, the alarm clock ringing, his TV still on, and then his morning routine, including the now famous bit where Newman runs out of coffee and ends up using a few days old filter from the trash.
Goldman stated that he thought it was all throwaway material and it wasn’t until he saw what Paul Newman did with these scenes and how his subtle, non-dialogue character beats told us everything we needed to know to get the character that the film art form solidified in his mind.
So, I figured let’s jump into that one first and see where we go from there. It also has a sequel, which we’ll be talking about tomorrow called THE DROWNING POOL. It’s a perfect chain starter.

If HARPER is indicative of the films we’ll be getting this column, then I’m going to be in hog heaven. Paul Newman is absolutely on fire in this flick. You can tell he’s riding a career high, coming off of HUD and THE HUSTLER (actually that’s why the movie is called HARPER… apparently Newman agreed to do it, but wanted to change the character’s name from Archer to Harper to keep the H streak going).
We’re going to look at a good amount of his earlier work before this thing is done and I really hope to see this same fire.
In HARPER you can see why he’s a movie star. Every facial movement, every smile, frown, wink and nod tell us all we need to know about his character. He’s cocky, but he’s also addicted. He’s addicted to the solving of cases, even if they involve people he really doesn’t give two shits about. He’s willing to give up his romance with Janet Leigh for his work. He has ruined his marriage and there’s a very tender moment where you glimpse Harper in his most vulnerable state. He’s beaten, sore and craving the love and affection of his soon to be ex-wife.
Against Leigh’s better judgment she takes him in and it is genuinely heartwrenching the morning after… she’s wearing his shirt, cooking breakfast… happy. He comes into the kitchen and you can just see it on his face. He’s going back to the case.
The way Leigh plays this scene is fantastic. This really is the heart of the movie.

Okay, for those who haven’t seen it, brief plot synopsis… Harper’s a down and out private dick who is hired to find a missing millionaire by his almost indifferent wife (Lauren Bacall). As in any good Private Eye tale, our hero runs into some crazy characters including Shelley Winters as an aging (and widening) starlet, Robert Wagner as a charismatic young Kato Kaylen type who bums around the disappeared millionaire’s mansion and is in some kind of swinging relationship with the daughter of the house, and (my personal favorite) the great Strother Martin as a creepy cult leader. Goddamn Strother Martin is fuckin’ sleazy in this movie…
I think one of the things I loved the most about the movie was the use of Technicolor. It’s so beautifully used in the flick, the colors popping off the screen even on standard def DVD. Technicolor is a lost paintbrush, an extinct tool in the art of filmmaking. We have beautiful movies now… you just have to look at the nominees for cinematography at last year’s Academy Awards… but there’s something about ‘40s-‘60s Technicolor that really is magical to me.
So, this one’s a winner. We have Paul Newman’s follow-up 9 years later, THE DROWNING POOL, set in New Orleans coming up tomorrow. Here’s the list of what’s coming up in the next 7 days:
Tuesday, June 3rd: THE DROWNING POOL (1975)
Wednesday, June 4th: PAPILLON (1973)
Thursday, June 5th: GUN CRAZY (aka DEADLY IS THE FEMALE) (1950)
Friday, June 6th: NEVER SO FEW (1959)
Saturday, June 7th: A HOLE IN THE HEAD (1959)
Sunday, June 8th: SOME CAME RUNNING (1958)
Monday, June 9th: RIO BRAVO (1959)
So, update the Netflix queue, hit the video store, or Amazon and follow along.
I’m traveling today and tomorrow, but I’d like the dialogue about the flick to continue in the talkbacks below. How many of you guys had already seen this? How many just watched it? How many will watch it now? What do you like about it? What do you hate about it? Let’s get talking!
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com

I'm not saying this one will be the exception. I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm psyched for it now, so the enthusiasm is there. Why bother trying? Well, if we didn't then what the hell would you read? heh<BR><BR>I'm in Los Angeles tonight, but I brought the next movie with me and thankfully there's a DVD player in the hotel room so I don't have to watch it on my Mac. Talk to you folks tomorrow.

I guess my feeling is that we've seen a pattern of starting a regular column, a good first few entries, a hiccup or two, a repentant column pledging to be more faithful from now on, then an eventual disappearance altogether. It's like me an my blog...I'll go for weeks without writing something, then post an entry apologizing and pledging to do better. Which I never do. In my thinking, it would be better to give the column a title like "FROM QUINT'S COLLECTION," then write when you can. We appreciate what we get, and I'd rather be promised less and be pleased with what comes out of that. But I'll admit--I'm cynical from past examples both here and other sites I frequent, so I'll just wish you luck and look forward to what you write!

...that pretty much everyone posting so far hasn't even mentioned the film at all. But don't forget to go out and consume whatever pops up every Friday night at your local Shitplex, by all means. That's what makes you all experts on movies - keep telling yourself that.
Just watched this the other day back-to-back with the Drowning Pool and I enjoyed both of them. Harper definitely gives off a cool kitschy '60's vibe and I really dug Arthur Hill's performance as well as Paul Newman's. I'll save my comments for Drowning Pool for tomorrow I suppose...

Harper is one of those cases where I'd like to read the book first. I've heard great things about Ross Macdonald's books over the years and I just haven't gotten to them yet. So after I read the novel Harper is based on I'll gladly watch the movie.<p> Rio Bravo is terrific. I only got to it a few years ago myself. Now I've got it in HD. <p> Hey Quint, if you're in L.A. for a few days try to stop by The Silent Movie Theatre on Wednesday night at 8pm. They're showing Four Horseman of the Apocalypse starring Rudolph Valentino. I plan on attending and it'd be cool to meet.

Hmmm, I don't recall hearing about this one before. Defiently sounds like its worth tracking down.<br><br>
Paul Newman's greatness has been sadly overlooked by my generation and younger. He's been reduced to the salad dressing caricature in most minds, but then i'll go back to one of his movies and just be blown away by what an amazing actor he was.

<P>I did not know that.</p>
<P>I have seen Harper, but it languishes so far back in my mindscape somewhere, in a place where I think I was mor concerned with fapping than Film, that I will gladly use this as impetus to seek it out once more.
<p>Newman is one of the most watchable alpha screen-stallions in the talkies, for my money. Even when playing someone cocky or assured, he always somehow manages to be vulnerable, too. A wounded, inclusive kind of machismo, even - if I were to take it one, fartier, step further.</p>
Anyway, best of luck with the feature, Quint, it's off to a nice start.

i'd follow along but i just bought class of nuke 'em high and switchblade sisters on amazon...haven't seen nuke 'em high in years and switchblade sisters is to fill my jack hill needs after seeing spider baby for the first time.
<p>
plus my girlfriend is on dual shelly winters and peter lorre marathons and she doesn't let me fuck with her netflix.
<p>
harper is definitely one i'd like to check out though.

<p>I would imagine it won't always be conveniant, but for what it's worth, I liked the use of the quote as a subheading. <p>A nicely placed quote with a review is often welcome, and here I think it kinda makes a nice break from the norm on the news roster.</p>

over the past few months I have really become obsessed with noir. Blast of Silence was an incredible release. I also just saw Tokyo Drifter a few weeks back and it blew me away with its use of color. this one sounds like another great addition to the genre so I will check it out for sure.

I have a ton of Criterion releases that will definitely be included. You could almost make that its own column. But there are a few Criterion Fellini movies I have and a few Kurosawa movies I have, but haven't seen... plus a lot of more random and obscure flicks from Criterion. All in due time.<BR><BR>I understand the focus on the Amazon links since there are a few columns that use a lot of them... but I really only use them in a big way in my Holiday Shopping Guide. I figure it's fitting here... I probably won't make much off of them, but what I do will just further me getting more DVDs and keeping this column going. You don't have to click on 'em if you don't want to.<BR><BR>I'll do what I can to keep the subheads going. The space is limited (I actually had to reword this headline because it stopped me half way through "rise." It might not always be a quote, but there will definitely be something.<BR><BR>Alright, gotta sleep now. Be back tomorrow with my thoughts on Drowning Pool and to check up on the conversation here, too.

Vista Drive In, with my dad when I ws a kid. We loved Newman and McQueen flicks. We saw a lot of great movies - "The Flim Flam Man", "Rhe Traveling Executioner", "Bullitt," "Rage," "Straw Dogs," "Brewster McCloud".<p.I don't remember that much about "Harper" except that it was great.<p>I think I saw it on TV one night when they censored off that last word - which these days you can hear on most sit-coms. Times change.<p>This is a great concept for a daily destination site. I'll be here most days doing my bit to keep the Lost talk-back going anyway, so I'll make a point to check in. "Good luck, we're all counting on you."

And I know I won't be able to keep up with anything nearing regularity, but I'll certainly read it and get myself familiarized with some great films that I can check out later. Those asking whether it will last or not are completely missing the point. Keen idea Quint.

I remember seeing 'Harper' when I was fourteen or so, and I remember liking it. I haven't seen it since but I remember the look of the film, and the description Quint gives is accurate. Even on full-screen VHS the colours seemed richer, the images bigger. I saw it's follow-up 'Drowning Pool' a few years later and thought it was a superior film. 'Pool' actually makes an interesting double bill with another detective movie that came out the same year (1975: Arthur Penn's 'Night Moves', which is like a post-modernist mirror image of 'Drowning Pool' (both movies even star jailbait Melenie Griffith). Good luck with new column Quint. You are in for a treat with 'Rio Bravo'.

Got the same box set as you Quint, and watched Harper and The Drowning Pool recently. Good flicks, enjoyed both of them, Newman is superb (though the sequel doesn't really have as many killer lines as Harper, maybe because no Goldman?). But what was with that freeze frame at the end of Harper? Was an interesting moment, all the more so because you know that there is zero chance any studio film today would be allowed to end with the audience on the hook like that.

From Amazon: "as William Goldman states in an enjoyable DVD commentary track, the name Lew Archer was switched to Harper because of Macdonald's reluctance to sign away franchise rights to his private eye's name, not because Newman wanted to have another movie with an "H" title (after The Hustler and Hud)."

I really like this idea, a great chance to throw some old movies on my netflix list. I've added Harper, so maybe I'll throw it to the top after I send back the movies I've got coming. <p>To ensure it's longevity (this column), perhaps you shouldn't review a movie each day. I know you have the enthusiasm to do it right now, but you wouldn't want it to "feel" like work if you're scrambling to find time on the road to watch a movie. I'd rather you pace yourself, if you will, a bit. Maybe watching a movie every other day?

I would think running this weekly instead of daily would be more beneficial. If you really want this to be a discussion on the film, you need to give people a chance to watch and dialog back and forth a bit. If its daily, i can't imagine you'll have a good discussion.

It looks as though I’m swimming against the current on “Harper.” It’s not that it’s a bad movie just one that could have been executed better in terms of building suspense.
“Harper” doesn’t belong to the P.I. movies of the noir period even with some of the great lines, including a wonderful exchange on keeping the change. I saw it as a proto- “Die Hard” or “Lethal Weapon.” Harper has his buddy sidekick, which alternates between Wagner’s Taggert and Hill’s Albert, is a weisenheimer and doggedly continues his pursuit even when his life is at risk. I would absolutely say that some seeds for the buddy cop movie are sown here.
Because of that, I wanted to see some suspense built in key sequences that ultimately fell flat; I’m thinking in particular of the sequence where Harper escapes from Puddler. We are shown Puddler reacting to Harper stumbling around, we are shown Harper alone and then Puddler entering the shot to chase him. Harper would then get away just before he would again make enough noise for Puddler to know where he’s at. Rinse and repeat until Puddler meets his end. That sequence would have played better had it been constructed with a Hitchcockian eye towards suspense. I also felt that way about the sequence when Taggert shot at the car, when Harper went to the mountain for his confrontation with the cat running the immigrant scheme (his name escapes me) and when Harper was on the ship looking for Sampson. They just fell flat.
Additionally, I don’t think the movie worked hard enough to keep its secrets. There were shots that were held too long on Taggert and Albert before Harper outed them, doing everything but inserting a title card that read “he’s a bad guy.” An attempt to make Felix a red herring was made early on but then dropped.
That Paul Newman carried the thing just by being Paul Newman is beyond question (not that he phoned it in and played himself but that he built a role through his incredible skill). The guy has a screen presence that few can equal, and I’m glad I got to see a “new to me” Newman flick. I just wish it had been a little tighter.

And honestly, noboby's going to mind if you skip a day or two. As long as we keep getting columns like this on a regular basis, I'm happy.<p> Harper's great. Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade is what made me wanna check it out.

---I grabbed this from the Library one rainy afternoon about a year ago. One of my favourite detective movies, and a great example of '60's' style. The one older thug who keeps saying 'how are ya, old stick"...great character, I've started using that line all the time. This may sound bizarre, but I challenge everyone to watch Harper, and then follow it with Big Lebowski. There are alot of similarities in theme and tone with both films. Just an observation; way to start on a high note, Quint

I have it watched and mostly written up. I'm flying back to Austin from LA late tonight, but have to check out of the hotel now for my business out here. If I can get to an internet connection before my flight I'll post it, if not look for it late tonight after I get back into Austin!

Once again, Quint, thanks for this. Great idea, tho I wouldn't cry if you did one every 2-4 days or so. I can't afford 7-at-a-time at Netflix.<p>I'm about halfway through Harper. Funny how, in a dated-looking film, Newman looks timeless. He really does have star quality. Lauren Bacall is the only one who looks like she belongs on the screen with him. And even she is vamping it up. Newman looks comfortable anywhere.

Quint - I said the same exact thing as the credits rolled - Paul Newman IS a REAL movie star. He carried this movie. I loved the bar scene when he was pretending to be whomever anyone wanted him to be - very funny. Maybe I'm slow (no maybe about it) but I found the story hard to follow... After the movie I kinda pieced it together - but I had trouble keeping the different people straight. My father and I watched this together - and when we first saw Robert Wagner at the pool I said "hey there is Kato Katlin!" Overall I think the story was totally average - but worth a look for Newman's performance.

..that ends conversations."
A very cool and fun flick. I remember the sexy Pamela Tiffin from the 1962 remake of State Fair but I'm going to have to check out some of her other work. Great ending too. Looking forward to "Drowning Pool".

I just finished it and I liked it quite a bit. This is a great idea Quint and I hope the enthusiasm stays with you. I have the Drowning Pool on the queue. I'd like to know your interpretation of the ending as well. Plus, Rio Bravo is gonna blow you away dude.

the very great, many decades gone now Ross MacDonald. Search out his detective novels, all fine stuff, truly. And so were the Harper films.
I don't know if I need the whole Newman box set, but certainly would like to see Harper and Drowing Pools again
The story goes Newman had it changed from Archer to Harper, believing "H" names lucky. Archer's name is an homage to the hardboiled detective master Dashiell Hammett: "Miles Archer" was the name of Sam Spade's murdered partner in The Maltese Falcon.
More Archer (or Harper) films could and should be made as MacDonald wrote many novels featuring the detective.

Sheriff: I could get ugly about this...
Harper: You ARE ugly
Harper: Your husband keeps lousy
company...as bad as there is in
L.A.....and that's as bad as there is.
Harper: Keep the change
Bartender: There is no change.
Harper: Keep it anyway.

When I was a kid, I think I mainly dug it because Pamela Tiffin was so hot. But as I grew older, I also dug Newman's casual indifference to everyone and everything, the very definition of coolness. One of my favorite lines in the movie happens as he's playing dumb to Shelley Winters in a sleazy bar. She correctly guesses something, and he replies, "Wow, how'd you do that? You must be physic."

If you like the movie and the books, you should check out Harris Yulin's audio book dramatizations of "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Zebra Striped Hearse". Yulin, a very talented character actor (he was in films from "Night Moves" to "Stuart Saves His Family") adapted, directed and stars as Archer in these full cast dramatizations, packed with everyone from Ed Asner to Anthony Zerbe.